


Introductions

by Intrepid_Inkweaver



Series: Tales from Raven's Bones [4]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Chronic Pain, Gardens & Gardening, Gen, Nightmares, Nonbinary Character, Original Character(s), Raven's Bones Guild, introductions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:14:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Intrepid_Inkweaver/pseuds/Intrepid_Inkweaver
Summary: Maes needs potion ingredients, so he decides to speak to the druid who tends the large garden at the edge of Gravestown.
Relationships: Maes Aster & Zelkirae Morai
Series: Tales from Raven's Bones [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799893





	Introductions

Maes was trapped again, in the cold and the damp grey-green dimness with hard stone beneath their knees and sticky blood coating their hands and arms, caked under their fingernails. They gasped for breath as though they were trapped under the crushing weight of entire oceans and though there was light, they could not see. The burning pain in their back throbbed brighter and brighter until it blinded them. They weren’t going to escape, they were going to die here, alone--

Maes woke with a gasp in a cold sweat, feeling slightly nauseated and light-headed. There was a weight on his chest holding him down and what felt like wet sandpaper rasping against his cheek. It took several moments for him to come back to himself enough to open his eyes and realize it was Milis crouched on his chest and licking his cheek. He huffed out a weak laugh and reached up to scratch behind her ears.

“I’m awake now, sweet thing, thank you.” She squinted at him lovingly and settled into a more comfortable cuddling position, purring loudly. She did this nearly every morning, and he was always grateful. He only wished there was some way she could wake him before the nightmares started.

When his heartbeat had settled back down to where it should be and the pain in his back had returned to it’s constant low throb, he gently lifted Milis off of his chest and sat up slowly. He had learned the hard way not to get up too quickly. It had caused him to vomit a few times, and once even to pass out. He had woken on the floor with a nasty lump on his head several hours later.

He poured some water and washed the sweat from his skin before brushing his hair and tying it back. He pulled on his clothes and strapped Na Dealga to his waist. The sword’s major enchantments were dormant for him--even Teluann hadn’t been able to figure out why. But it was still an excellent sword, and the minor enchantments kept it sharp and clean without him having to work on it.

They had noted that their store of potions and ingredients was running a bit low. If the space that they had commissioned for taking patients in town ever got finished--they were unsure why it was taking so long, surely the measly two hundred gold they’d paid wouldn’t have built much--they would need a steady supply of ingredients and potions. They had seen the large garden near the edge of town, apparently tended by one of the guild’s druids. They hadn’t had the chance to introduce theirself to her yet, but they had high hopes that she would be willing to be their supplier for some things.

They picked up their (sadly light) pouch of coins and trilled at Milis to get her to follow. She hopped down from the bed and followed them out of their small room in the guild barracks. Down in the main hall they caught the attention of a tabaxi in a green cloak.

“Excuse me, I was wondering where I could find the druid who cares for the garden on the edge of town.”

The tabaxi smiled. “Oh, you mean Zel. I don’t think she’s off on a mission right now, so at this hour? She’s probably in her garden. She likes to do the weeding in the morning before it gets hot.”

“Alright, thank you very much.”

“You’re pretty new here, aren’t you?”

“Fairly. I’ve been here a couple months.”

“We haven’t met.” He held out a hand. “I’m Carl.”

Maes took the offered hand and shook it warmly. “Maes. Maes Aster.”

Milis chose this instant to twine through Maes’s legs and trill. Carl smiled and bent down to offer her a hand to smell. “And who is this?”

Maes chuckled. “This is Milis. She just noticed she wasn’t getting her fair share of attention from us.”

“Well, she is welcome to as much attention from me as she wants. Isn’t that right, pretty girl?” Milis was happily bumping her head into Carl’s hand.

Once Maes had managed to pull Milis away and say their goodbyes to their new friend, they made their way outside the guild hall. The day was overcast, but not humid nor particularly dark, thankfully. They caught a glimpse of the silver dragon flying below the clouds and smiled. It was good to know the town had such a protector.

The garden was quite extensive, and very diverse. There was even a corner with a vine that had a sign in front of it: DO NOT APPROACH. VINE WILL TRY TO KILL YOU. He skirted by it carefully. Near the center of the garden, nearly buried the leaves of a large plant, was a dark-skinned half-elf with a shock of snow-white hair muttering under her breath as she pulled up weeds.

“I told you not to grow here, assholes, over and over again. This is the last straw. You’re coming out. Good luck out in the desert, I hope your roots dry out quickly…”

Maes coughed politely. She startled and shot up so fast it was a wonder she didn’t fall backwards. “What--who--Oh.” She cleared her throat awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck. “Um, my apologies, monsieur. I didn’t hear you approach. Did you need something?”

“You’re Zel, I assume?”

“Ah, yes, I am. Zelkirae Morai, of T--Gravestown. And you are?”

“My name is Maes Aster. I was hoping to buy some alchemical ingredients off of you.”

“Oooh, you’re the one that’s setting up a healer’s office in town. I heard about that. Well, my plants are free to guildmembers, _most of them at least,”_ this last she muttered quietly and continued, “so you can take what you need as long as it doesn’t do permanent harm to the plants. Are you--”

Just then a commotion from a few feet away startled them both and Maes turned to see Milis with her back arched and hackles raised, growling loudly at a beautiful white snake that had just slithered from the underbrush.With a crease in her brow Zel stepped forward and said something in what Maes recognized as beast speak. Both Milis and the snake backed down and turned to look at her. She said something else and Milis sniffed, stood up and slowly sauntered over to Maes, where she sat down and began bathing her paw. The snake made it’s way over to Zel and she picked it up and draped it around her shoulders.

“What did they say?”

Zel huffed a laugh. “Nili said she was afraid the cat was going to dig up the garden and use it as a toilet. Your cat says the snake came at her out of nowhere, and when I assured her that Nili wouldn’t have harmed her, she said she was hardly worried about it, she was just protecting her human.”

Maes shook his head and looked down at Milis. “You really are hopeless.” She looked back up at him innocently and blinked.

“What’s her name?”

“Milis. It means--”

“Sweet, right? A dialect from the Gaeilar region.”

“Yes, how did--”

“I grew up near there. I even read a few books in that dialect.”

“My parent’s Zazie was from there. I was named after them. I grew up mostly in Xanne, though.”

Her eyes got wide. “Oh, Xanne? I’ve heard a lot about it, but have never had the chance to go. I hear it’s a beautiful city.”

“It is.” They suddenly couldn’t force themself to say more, the memories of the last time they’d been there assaulting the edge of their memory.

Zel cleared her throat awkwardly and changed the subject. “So are you going to need any help with healing or making potions?”

“Well, I initially didn’t think I’d be getting many patients, what with all the clerics around here, but there’s been a lot more interest than I would have guessed. So, maybe?”

“I’d be happy to help, though I admit I prefer making potions to directly working with patients.”

Maes nodded. “I’ll let you know then.” He held out a hand, and she went to take it, noticed it was still covered in soil, retracted it and bowed stiffly. They smiled and bowed back.

“Do you need help finding what you need?”

“Yes, I would appreciate it. Would you like me to help you weed for a little while? I used to help my aunt tend her garden, so I promise I won’t pull anything but weeds.”

Zel cocked her head. “Yes, I suppose some company would be nice for a bit.”

Maes unbuttoned his waistcoat and hung it on a bush. “So, the weeds here don’t listen very well, I take it.”

“Weeds don’t listen to you anywhere. That’s why they’re weeds.”

"Yeah, I suppose that makes sense."

**Author's Note:**

> Just a note: This hasn't been proofread yet.


End file.
